Little Manhattan (2006)

Fans of contemporary romantic comedies tend to be more lenient with cheesiness than horror junkies are with splatterfests; lowered standards are equally acceptable to anyone into kids movies. Thus, it comes as no great surprise that Little Manhattan, with its focus on the dilly-dallying of very young love, is impossible to dislike (that is, if you choose to watch it; meager box office numbers proved that few theatergoers did). Downtrodden tween Gabe (Josh Hutcherson) copes with his estranged parents, his sorta secret crush on Rosemary (Charlie Ray), and the ongoing threat of cooties. If you can accept the contrived scenario, come for the disarming and perceptive story and stay for the sweeping Manhattan scenery. EXTRAS Husband-and-wife writer-director team Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin present outtakes from the set, scout the film's lush outdoor settings in a featurette, and offer a cheerful commentary track. The couple's observations range from thought-provoking (discussing the usage of magic realism) to silly (pointing out Flackett's mom in a cameo during the climactic wedding sequence).

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